Top Ten Ways to Use Bill Harley’s “At Your Library” Song

Holiday at Home Parade, Kettering (OH)

Kettering, Ohio, the location of the city I work in, has a big Holiday at Home Parade each Labor Day. In 2006, when the library's "unit" (consisting of Dayton Metro Library's bookmobile and my boss, my assistant, and myself walking along carrying a banner with the library's logo) moved along the parade route, we played Bill Harley's song @ your library over the bookmobile's loud speaker. The song's beat was a perfect walking pace and we sang along as we waved!

The Fairy Tale Evening, Wood County District Public Library (OH)

Held after hours on a Friday evening as a thank you to the community for supporting the Foundation of the Wood County Public Library, fairy tales came to life through the work of staff and volunteers. An well-choreographed series of events and programs ended with a parade of those dressed for the evening's celebration singing, clapping and striking their tambourines to the beat of Bill Harley's song @ your library. The words were so much fun to sing as the verses were piped through the speaker system throughout the library. What a wonderful way to end a celebration!

Kathy East,Assistant Director and Head of Children's Services,Wood County District Public Library (OH)
eastka@oplin.org

Link Bill's song @ your library to the library's website.

While surfing the Internet, I spotted the following library websites either play the campaign song when it is open or when the link is clicked on :

Background music for library promo video, Bronxville (NY) Public Library

Bronxville Public Library used a version of Bill Harley's "At Your Library" song as background music for a promotional video. Click here to view the video.It is an MPEG file.

Many thanks to Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, for submitting the MPEG file to the ALSC Office.

Family Night Play - "Dora and Friends @ the Library," Mariemont Branch, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

The library used the Harley song with lyrics during the performance of the Dora play written by a library staff member. After the play as attendees were going off to craft activities, the instrumental version of the song played.

Many thanks to Beth Luessen, children's librarian at the Mariemont Branch Library, for sharing this information with ALSC.

Summer Reading Promotions, Walla Walla Public Library (WA)

We began our school visits to promote summer reading this week (today is Tuesday, May 22, 2007) and have seen over 400 kids already. We open the presentation with me singing and playing the song. It's a great way to raise the energy level; the kids are real responsive. The song is syncopated, so that throws the kids who are determined to clap along, but it's OK. I have the kids join in on the "@ your Library" refrain.

Thank you, Bill, for another great song! ("Zanzibar, Zanzibar, Zanzibar is very far...")